A technical dictionary of printmaking, André Béguin.
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Etching basin
Such basins are made of metal, wood, glass, plastic, rubber, or porcelain and must, in any case, be insensitive to the action of acids. A basin may also be painted with some liquid rubber to make it resistant to acids. If the basin is very big it must have some kind of means of evacuating as it is heavy and thus dangerous to pick up and empty by simply pouring the mordant out. An etching basin must be quite a bit bigger than the plate to be etched as a generous bath is the best way to ensure a proper dispersion of the used mordant. Etching basins to be used with techniques such as aquatint and crayon manner must be deeper than usual since these techniques do not allow the plate to be stroked or feathered directly. In fact, the cleaning of the plate during biting can only be done by rocking the basin back and forth, thus creating a continous wave that wipes the plate surface.
Example of a Polymetaal etching basin, with evacuation tap. (see standard products Polymetaal)
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